Electric switch.



P. H. THOMAS.

ELEGTRIG SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. x904v 1,012,753, Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERCY'H. THOMAS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOB TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF 1\TEW YORK.

I ELECTRIC SWITCH.

' Specification'o! Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

Application filediebruary 10, 1904. Serial No. 192,92;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY H. Tnoms, a citizen o t the United States, and resident of East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

It is found to be convenient in many kinds of electric work to employ a mercury switch in which a container of insulating material is supplied with electrodes capable of being connected with an external circuit and in which, in the closed position of the switch, a mass of mercury bridges the space between the electrodes. The act of rotating the container through a certain distance is suflicientto remove the electrodes away from the mercury and-break the circuit.

The present invention relates to a switch of thischaracter. In. operating such switches it is important that the external circuit should not be interrupted, and to this end I provide flexible or sliding connections which maintain the continuity of the outside circuit, as will be explained hereinafter. Should it be desired to cause a rupture of the. circuit through the medium of the switch by a quick movement, the flexible connection'may be itself made 'of elastic material and may be put under tension when the switch is closed and simply released when it is desired to open the switch. Under such circumstances, theelastic material forming the flexible connection will act to cause a quick rupture of the circuit by rotating the container rapidly through a sufficient arc to cause a quick separation of the electrodes or terminals'and the mercury.

In the accompanying. drawings I have shown several forms or types, of the appa-' ratus named-herein.

For example, Figure 1 is an' end elevation of a switch embodying the idea of a flexible connection as described; Fig., 2 is a side elevation of a similar device in which, however, the flexible elements are elastic.

Referring to the first figure of the drawings, 1 is a container which may be of glass or other good insulating material. The said container is provided with depressions or receptacles, one ofv which is shown at 2, in Fig. 1, and both of which appear in Fig. 2, being designated by the characters 2, 2. In the bottom of the depressions or receptacles 2, 2 are pieces, 3, 3, of platinum,

l i Q 'WhlCh are connected b wires .or bars, 4, 4,

with rings, 5, 5, on t e ends of the containerl.

The container, as shown'more clearly in Fig. 2, is narrowed at its ends and provided with necks or extensions, 6, 6, which are supported in openings in the posts, 7, 7, and adapted to be rotated therein.

To the rings 5, 5 are connected the ends I l of flexible connections, 8, 8, the same being joined together by suitable clips, shown v at 9, 9. I

At -10, 10 are shown the binding posts 0 connections of the external circuit. The flexible conduct-ing elements 8, 8 are connected :to the said binding posts and when the switch is in its closed, position and the parts areconnected up as indicated above,

there is a complete circuit from one bind ing post to the other by way of the flexible element, 8, ring 5, wire or bar 4, contact plate 3, and the mercury on one side, back to the other binding postthrough a similar set of elements in the reverse order.

To move the switch, the container 1 may be surrounded by a strap, or band, 11, and from the said strap may project a handle,

12, by means of which the position of the container may be regulated or controlled. Should the flexible parts 8 be made of elastic material, such as is intended to be illustrated in Fig. 2, the handle 12 may, in order to close the switch, be pushed down into a horizontal position. In order to hold the switch in closed position a catch or detent, 13, is shown with a handle, 14, the said catch or detent being pivotedat 15 so as to have a considerable range of movement. When it is desired to open the switch,'the handle may be pushed away from engagement wit-h the arm 12, whereupon the power of the spring 8 will throw the switch open by a quick movement. 1

- It will be understood that "any other means for securing the quick rupture of the circuit may be employed instead of those illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the type of switch heretofore described, it is assumed that current is passed through the circuit-breaker by' way of a mercury path.

I claim as my-invention: 1. c1rcu1t breaker comprislng an 1nsulatlng conta ner, Internal electrodes therefor and a conducting liquid therein for connecting said terminals in the inclosed position in combination with trunnions" for mounting said circuit breaker and bearings for said trunnions, together with flexible spiral conductors curved about the axles of the trunnions and making connection with a suitable electric circuit.

2. An electric switch comprising an insulat-ing container rotatably mounted, circuit terminalswithin the container and a mercury bridge between the said terminals when the switch is in its closed position, in combination with spring connections between the said circuit terminals and the external circuit, and a lever for holdin the switch in the closed'position, the spring being then under tension.

,3. An electric switch comprising an insulating container, circuit terminals within the container, and a conducting liquid bridging the said terminals'when the switch is in its closed position, the said container being provided with trunnions, journals in which the trunnions are mounted, in combmation w1th conducting pieces mounted on said trunn'ions, connections 'from' each conducting piece to one of the said circult termlnals, and

other connections from the said conducting pieces to the external circuit, such connections being of flexible elastic material whereby a partial rotation of the container is permitted and whereby the switch may be reterminals within the container, a mercury bridge extending between the said terminals when the switch is in its closed position, continuously maintained spring connections between the said terminals and the external circuit while the switch is in operation,

a lever for holding the switch in closed poslti.on, and means for releasing the switch for rupturing the switch circuit.

6. A circuit breaker comprising an insulating container, internal electrodes therefor and a conducting liquid therein for connecting said terminals in the inclos'ed position in combination with trunnions for mounting said circuit breaker and bearings for said trunnions, together with elastic spring conductors curved about the axles of the trunnions and making connection with a suitableelectric circuit.

Y 7. The combination of an electric circuit breaker comprising an lnsulatlng container so formed as to pIOVlde;tIllI1I11OIlS for permitting rotation of said circuit breaker and containing internal electrodes and a conducting liquid for connecting and disconnecting the same and bearings forsaid trunnions, with flexible-leads connecting said insulating container with an external circuit, said flexible leads being adapted to move in a f plane at right angles tothe axis of rotation, together with terminals for said flexible conductors attached to the insulatingcontainer and connected with the saidinside terminals.

8. The combination of anelectric circuit breaker comprising an insulating container so formed as to provide trunnions for permitting rotation of said circuit breaker and containing internal electrodes and a conducting liquid for connecting and disconnecting the same, and bearings for said trunnions, with flexible leads connecting said insulating container with an external circ'uit, said flexible leads being adapted to move in a plane at right angles to the .axis of rotation and attached to the circuit breaker in the immediate neighborhood of the said trunnions, together with terminals for said flexible conductors attached to the insulating container and connected with the said inside terminals.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New, York, this 6th day of February, A. D. 1904.

PERCY H. THOMAS.

- Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, GEORGE H. STOOKBRIDGE. 

